Khaleej Times

The 2020 Indian Premier League has turned into the Tour de France

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Followers of elite cycling will know how stages of the leading races typically unfold: a peloton of riders forms, jockeying for position... when one makes a move, another reacts... and so on, and so on... until the finish line comes into sight... then, more often than not, all hell lets loose as every cyclist strains every sinew in a madcap, exhilarati­ng dash for glory.

This perfectly describes what is now happening at the Indian Premier League in the UAE.

Teams that may have assumed they were virtually assured of a place in the top four are now not so sure, glancing anxiously over their shoulder. Teams that appeared out of contention a week or so ago are now finding form and starting to believe.

For hundreds of millions of television viewers in India and around the world, the spectacle could not be better because the outcome is completely unpredicta­ble.

For those of us privileged to be playing at the heart of the action, we have one simple challenge amid all the drama, excitement and calculatio­ns... stay calm.

Stay calm and focus on your carefully prepared plans. Stay calm and execute under pressure. Stay calm as an individual and as a team. It’s easier said than done, I know, but this is the task.

At the Royal Challenger­s Bangalore, we know what needs to be done.

To realise our goal of finishing in the top two on the table, we must defeat the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Sharjah on Saturday and then overcome Delhi Capitals in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

Sunrisers Hyderabad are charging, playing fantastic cricket, and Delhi Capitals are a top quality team. Nothing of value comes easy.

For our part, as a team, we have played some excellent cricket in this tournament, but we have been inconsiste­nt at times... both with bat and ball... and frustratin­g defeats against Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians in our most recent two matches have obviously increased the pressure.

We have spoken about the need to extend partnershi­ps, when we are batting and when we are bowling. When two batsmen get in, they need to take advantage. If two bowlers start to contain the opposition, they need to tighten the grip.

T20 matches ebb and flow: sometimes you get on top, sometimes the opponent finds momentum and you struggle to regain control. By staying calm and focussed under pressure, however, you can usually prevail. That is our aim on this weekend of high drama. —

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